Backpacking Tent Features

Video Transcript

"Most tents you buy are going to come with a rainfly. I generally, if it hasn't rained I just roll my tent up with the rainfly on it. Something that most tents won't come with though is a ground cloth and it is really important to have a ground cloth because the underside of your tent is not as sturdy as a ground cloth is going to be. A ground cloth is specifically made to keep from tearing holes in your tent by sticks or rocks or anything like that. If you get a hole in your tent and it starts to rain all the water is going to seep in and you are going to be freezing cold so the ground cloth usually just goes on the bottom of the tent, you can usually buy one specific to the tent that you purchased and there is clips or ties or something and once again if it hasn't rained or anything you can just roll it up with your tent and put it away on top of the tent. As you can see this is my rainfly and I have it packed in with my tent because it wasn't wet. If it's wet you shouldn't put it away wet but a lot of times when you are backpacking you don't have a choice. You try to shake out as much water as you can and put it away. If you keep it stored wet though, it will mess up the waterproofing so after your trip is over, let it out to dry before you put it away."